like puzzle pieces from the clay
by turtleducklings
Summary: Her mother used to say that opposites attract. It isn't until she meets Mako that Korra understands what she meant. Mako/Korra. Fifteen missing moments.
1. reckless

**a/n**: (oops i accidentally makorra'd)

so. this is a thing i started. i'm taking requests, so feel free to leave me some!

spoilers for ep. 8.

**disclaimer**: bryke owns all.

* * *

"Prison sucks."

Mako sighs. Normally he would be slightly annoyed at Bolin for pointing out the obvious (again), but this time he can't help but agree. Prison _sucks_. He nods. "Yeah, Bo. It really does."

There's a small window in their cell. He heaves himself up from his place on the floor and peers through it. The sliver of moon in the sky barely gives off any light, and all of a sudden he is thinking of Korra. Of her smile when he'd offered her his hand to help her get into Asami's Satomobile. Of her smirk when they'd taken out those equalists before the metalbenders could. And of her frown when those same metalbenders hauled them away.

"How do you think Asami's holding up?" Bolin's voice is harsh in the cold silence of their cell, and Mako starts.

He shrugs. "She's a fighter. I'm pretty sure she's alright." He pulls his jacket tighter around himself, guarding against the cold chill that seeps through the stone walls of the jail. "Hopefully we'll all get out of here soon."

Bolin's quiet for a moment before piping up again, his breath sending puffs of fog into the air. "What do you think Korra will do?"

Mako turns, leaning one shoulder against the rough concrete wall. "She said that she and Tenzin would fix this. But who knows when they will. That Tarrlok guy seems pretty stubborn."

Bolin's half smile is warm. "Yeah, but so is Korra." His face sobers. "I just hope she doesn't do anything reckless."

Mako sighs and sinks back down to the floor, next to Bolin. "Yeah," he says quietly. He buries his nose in his scarf and closes his eyes. "Me too."


	2. teacher

**author's note:** takes place between episodes 4 and 5. remember to leave a request if you want to see something in particular.

**disclaimer:** belongs to brychael.

* * *

She asks him to help her improve her firebending shortly after she is attacked by Amon and his Equalists.

It scares her how easily they had taken her down. She had come at them with everything and it had only taken a couple of jabs to her limbs to make her fall. All she can think is _Maybe if I was faster, stronger, maybe, maybe, maybe—_

"I just," she says, sighing heavily, "I just want to make sure I'm the best I can be at it." She doesn't add _just in case_ even though she wants to, but Mako can read it in her eyes and he just nods.

"I can try," he says slowly, "but I'm really busy with work at the factory and we're in training for the tournament and..."

His voice trails off at the look on her face. He sighs. "It's fine. I can make it work."

Her mouth quirks up at the side. "Really? Great! Do you, um...do you want to start now?"

His eyes widen, one eyebrow raised. "Right now?"

She gestures at the empty gym. "I mean, we're the only ones here, and I just thought, if you weren't busy, since we're already in our training clothes..." She rubs her arm and doesn't meet his eyes.

He bites his lip. "Um, actually, I was just about to leave to go meet Asami for dinner."

Her heart drops into her stomach and she resists the urge to stick her tongue out. "Oh. Asami."

"I'm sorry," he says, "maybe another time."

"Yeah," she says, feigning nonchalance, "another time, sure. Forget I said anything."

"Okay," he says cautiously, shouldering his bag. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Korra says, waving at him as he turns over his shoulder to smile softly at her. "See you tomorrow."


	3. afterwards

**author's note: **this update is short and took longer than i meant it to; i'm sorry. but here it is!

(also what do you mean the summary used to say fifty missing moments what no it's always been fifteen are you high)

spoilers for the finale!

**disclaimer:** belongs to bryke.

* * *

"Hey, Korra?"

"Yeah, Mako?"

"...I'm really glad you have your bending back."

"Me, too."

"..."

"It's a good thing I got it back, too, otherwise I'd only be able to use airbending to save your sorry butt."

"That's not funny."

"You're smiling."

"It's still not funny."

"Whatever, Cool Guy."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Oh. I uh. I just like it when you call me that."

"Cool Guy?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It's better than Jerkbender. That's what Bo called me the other day."

"...In his defense, you sort of were being a jerkbender."

"I don't even know what that means!"

"Whatever, jerkbender."

"..."

"..."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Smiling. I can practically hear your smugness from over here."

"Last I checked, it's impossible to hear facial expressions, Mako."

"Stop it anyway. It's annoying."

"_Jerkbender_..."

"I heard that."

"I, um. I meant for you to!"

"Uh huh."

"..."

"..."

"Hey, Mako?"

"Yes, Korra?"

"...I'm happy we worked things out. Really."

"Me, too."

"..."

"..."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."


	4. normal

**author's note: **i was out of town for the entire month of july so sorry for the lack of updates. but yay fluff fluff fluff.

**disclaimer:** i don't own the legend of korra. (if i did bolin would have an actual character and mako wouldn't have been so jerk-y to asami.)  
(also, there would be more iroh ii because hot damn.)

* * *

Sometimes he feels as though he missed out on a lot of the cliche "couple-y" things with Korra.

He admits this to her one day as they're sparring in the air temple courtyard. "What are you talking about?" She asks as she ducks under a burst of flame, retaliating with a quick blast of air. "We didn't miss out on anything."

"It's just," he sighs as he cartwheels out of the way of some ice daggers before forming a fire whip and snapping it towards her, "I never really got to properly 'ask you out'. Or take you on a fancy official first date. Or work up all the nerve for our first kiss—" he dodges a boulder, shoots back a plume of fire— "or plan out how to tell you 'I love you' for the first time. Or anything." He straightens and shrugs, his head hanging slightly.

She stops and cocks her head to the side. "Who cares, Mako? It's no big deal." She slides her arm around his waist and squeezes. "None of that stuff matters. We're together now, aren't we? And who really wants a mediocre relationship like that?" She releases him and puts one hand on her hip, looking up at him.

His hand finds hers, their fingers lacing together. He sighs. "I guess you're right. But still. Sometimes I wish we could have done all that stuff." He lets go of her hand and loops his arm around her shoulders, drawing her close and pressing a kiss to her hair. "But I guess it's not really that big of a deal," he mumbles against her temple.

Korra nods but has a faraway look in her eyes, like she's not actually listening. Mako doesn't notice.

* * *

That night, Korra sits down with Mako and asks him out on their first official date. She looks confused when he laughs. "What? I thought you wanted this—" He cuts her off, darting forward to kiss her, just once.

"Even when we're trying to be normal we can't be," he says, grinning.

"What do you mean?" She asks, crossing her arms and sitting back.

"Well," he says sagely, "normally the guy is the one to ask for a date."

She huffs. "Well," she says, mimicking his tone. "That's stupid."

He laughs again and grabs her hand. "Yeah. It is."

She raises an eyebrow but looks mollified. "Besides," she says, twining her fingers between his, "Who needs normal anyway?"

He nods, smiling. "Yeah. Who needs it?"


End file.
